Demand Reason

Sacramento County Treats Sex Assault ‘Victim’ Like A Criminal

Do yourself a favor, next time you are in Sacramento County, California, don’t become a victim of sexual assault or you might find yourself behind bars. The county DA is holding the victim (a 17-year-old girl) of a sexual assault in custody on a “material-witness warrant.” The district attorney’s office believes the accused defendant, Frank William Rackley, presents such a danger to the community that it justifies keeping the alleged assault victim in custody at juvenile hall.

Sacramento County prosecutors sought the material-witness warrant on the alleged rape victim, and two Superior Court judges have since ordered her detained to ensure her presence as a witness in a trial scheduled to begin April 23.

The girl is being held in juvenile hall in lieu of $50,000 bail. She is scheduled for a hearing Friday in front of Judge Lawrence G. Brown to determine if she will remain in custody. She is entitled to a court hearing every 10 days.

They believe the victim is a flight risk (my words) because she has twice run away from foster care and also failed to appear at the preliminary hearing for the defendant. How a victim can be a flight risk is beyond me. She didn’t commit a crime, therefore she is a free person who can “flight” where ever she pleases.

“Based upon (her) extensive runaway history, and the fact she has specifically told me she would not come to court to testify in this matter, I believe that (she) will not appear and testify … unless security is required,” Van Stralen (deputy DA) said in his affidavit.

That might be the case, but I’m not sure I want to live in a country where victims of crimes are locked up for the greater good.